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Ryan Clark: Big Ben should tone things down

Clark: Big Ben should tone things down

October 10, 2013
By Ray Fittipaldo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Veteran safety Ryan Clark did not back down from comments he made on ESPN on the Steelers' bye week that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has to "tone down" his game if the Steelers are going to be successful.

Clark said Roethlisberger has a tendency to improvise too much at times and that style might have something to do with the team's first 0-4 start since 1968.

"We have to tone Ben down in a sense and say, 'Hey, right now, we're not a good enough football team for you to try to extend plays, for us to take sacks, for us to have turnovers,' " Clark said on ESPN.

Clark was asked Wednesday to clarify his remarks.

"When asked a question about Ben, I said, we need to protect Ben," Clark said. "And, when I say that, [I mean] defense, we need to make plays so he doesn't feel like he has to do everything. Offensively, we need to protect him so he can get the ball out on his fifth step; receivers need to get open, running backs need to run the ball.

"But, in that as well, I feel like he needs to understand that, as constructed right now, we aren't playing well enough right now as a team to where we can take sacks and have turnovers. So, as a team, that's a team solution.

"But the quarterback has to spearhead it. He's our guy, he's our leader, he makes the plays, he's the reason we have two Super Bowl wins and been to three. We have to find ways to help him not feel like he has to do that."

When told of Clark's comments, Roethlisberger said he is not going to change his style.

"I didn't hear about [that]," Roethlisberger said. "It is what it is. I'm just going to play the game the way that I play it and try not to turn it over."

When asked if he appreciated a teammate commenting on his play, Roethlisberger responded: "That's the great thing about this country we live in. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and allowed to say what they want. If Ryan feels that way, then that's fine."

It was the second consecutive week that there has been some back and forth between two of the team's captains. After the Steelers lost to the Minnesota Vikings to fall to 0-4, Roethlisberger said the Steelers might be the worst team in the league. Clark said Roethlisberger was being "dramatic" when he said that. Roethlisberger later clarified his comments and said he was viewing it strictly from a win-loss perspective.

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Clark is absolutely right but again... the media isn't the best way to express that FACT.

Ben can continue to be Ben and hopefully he doesn't turnover the ball but that surely has been the trend. And he'll continue to take unnecessary sacks as well which put him in 3rd and long situations that we won't convert.

Maybe, Ben should have said.. Yeah, I have to improve on my reads. I've watched some film and I have to find the open receiver quicker and deliver the ball accurately. Instead, he comes off as a hard headed prick. Obviously, he doesn't give a damn that the sandlot style hasn't been treating him well for quite some time now.

On a side note, I did like Roethlisberger's comment about us being the worst team in the league right now. The Jaguars are #1 and we aren't that far behind. The record is what counts and our record clearly shows we are one of the worst teams in the league.

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Originally Posted by steelz09

Clark is absolutely right but again... the media isn't the best way to express that FACT.

Ben can continue to be Ben and hopefully he doesn't turnover the ball but that surely has been the trend. And he'll continue to take unnecessary sacks as well which put him in 3rd and long situations that we won't convert.

Maybe, Ben should have said.. Yeah, I have to improve on my reads. I've watched some film and I have to find the open receiver quicker and deliver the ball accurately. Instead, he comes off as a hard headed prick. Obviously, he doesn't give a damn that the sandlot style hasn't been treating him well for quite some time now.

On a side note, I did like Roethlisberger's comment about us being the worst team in the league right now. The Jaguars are #1 and we aren't that far behind. The record is what counts and our record clearly shows we are one of the worst teams in the league.

You know what else is FACT? Clark sucks, and Ben is the best player on the team. You know what else is FACT? The sooner Clark is gone, the better.

I know, you hate the franchise QB. You want live in your own little bubble where it's all about running and defense and the QB is just a game manager unless he has to bail the team out in the last two minutes from their own stupidity. You want to believe the rest of the team is fine and Ben is the only problem. You really do come off as the typical cranky old yinzer that sits in a bar and complains endlessly about how Ben sucks or how the NFL sucks for being a pass-first league. I suggest quitting while you're ahead.

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You know what else is FACT? Clark sucks, and Ben is the best player on the team. You know what else is FACT? The sooner Clark is gone, the better.

I know, you hate the franchise QB. You want live in your own little bubble where it's all about running and defense and the QB is just a game manager unless he has to bail the team out in the last two minutes from their own stupidity. You want to believe the rest of the team is fine and Ben is the only problem. You really do come off as the typical cranky old yinzer that sits in a bar and complains endlessly about how Ben sucks or how the NFL sucks for being a pass-first league. I suggest quitting while you're ahead.

Actually.... you couldn't be more wrong but I wouldn't expect more from you.

Obviously, you haven't read many of my posts if you believe that I think Ben is the only problem.

I want a QB that can find a open receiver if his 1st receiver isn't open. You know, a true franchise QB like Drew Brees would be nice. Yea, I'm a fan of Drew Brees because we all know, he's a game manager QB on a run first offense that this old yinzer loves. lol. I want a QB that isn't going to be completely reckless with the ball. At least our 100m franchise QB has less turnovers than rookie Geno Smith. Now, thats a success story.

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Improvising Ben was the ONLY reason the Vikings game was close. All Clark did was try to deflect blame from his side of the ball to the other.

No turnovers in 16 quarters, I think Clark's pea sized brain should worry about his own game.

I hope Ben plays like Carson Palmer 2009. ANY signs of trouble? Throw it away and quit like Carson did.

Then Clark will realize how good he has it.

You do realize improvising Ben has cost us games turning the ball over trying to do too much. With this OL, he must get the ball out. He doesn't have the option to dance around without taking serious risks to his health and to the Steelers.

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Originally Posted by Shawn

You do realize improvising Ben has cost us games turning the ball over trying to do too much. With this OL, he must get the ball out. He doesn't have the option to dance around without taking serious risks to his health and to the Steelers.

Yes. That's what about of people are forgetting. That "improvising" has probably cost us just as many games as what it won us at this point.